Is this the best secondary in nfl history?

[Sgt. Largent]

John Boyle ‏@johnpboyle 22m
Hey, it just occurred to me that @RSherman_25 completed more "passes" in the end zone (1 to @Earl_Thomas) than Eli Manning did (0).

:rofl:

I also saw someone Tweet out this during the game;

"Cruz and Nicks = 3 catches, Sherman and Maxwell = 4 catches."

 

[SonicHawk]

If this secondary played in the 70s or 80s they would FREAKING DESTROY THOSE TEAMS.

For the small amount of contact we're allowed compared to the 'golden era' this secondary is ridiculous.

Not to mention the players are bigger, faster & stronger nowadays. There is no doubt this is the BEST EVER.

 

[Seafan]

Starting four are some of the best but what makes this secondary special is the depth. I've never seen a secondary with this much quality depth at CB.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

As much as it pains me, it's probably the Niners back four when they won the SB in 1994.

CB-Eric Davis
CB-Deion Sanders
FS-Merton Hanks
SS-Tim McDonald

IMO the one and only factor that makes you the "best ever" is titles. If the Hawks win the SB? THEN we can talk about where this defensive backfield stands up to all these other great foursomes. But until then, IMO it's premature.

 

[SonicHawk]

As much as it pains me, it's probably the Niners back four when they won the SB in 1994.

CB-Eric Davis
CB-Deion Sanders
FS-Merton Hanks
SS-Tim McDonald

IMO the one and only factor that makes you the "best ever" is titles. If the Hawks win the SB? THEN we can talk about where this defensive backfield stands up to all these other great foursomes. But until then, IMO it's premature.

Titles don't mean anything. It takes all facets of the games to win a title, not just an elite secondary.

Davis & Sanders vs. Sherman & Browner/Thurmond/Maxwell is certainly an excellent debate... coin flip me for Sherman/Sanders.

Chancellor vs. McDonald? Give me big hittin Kam.

Earl Thomas might be one of the best FSs EVER.

Games where defense gave up over 20 points:
1994 9ers: 6 (regular season)
2013 Hawks: 5 (regular season)

1994 had nothing on 2013 in terms of points scored.

The 1994 9ers gave up an average of 23 points a game in the playoffs. That's not happening with Seattle.

 

[HansGruber]

As much as it pains me, it's probably the Niners back four when they won the SB in 1994.

CB-Eric Davis
CB-Deion Sanders
FS-Merton Hanks
SS-Tim McDonald

IMO the one and only factor that makes you the "best ever" is titles. If the Hawks win the SB? THEN we can talk about where this defensive backfield stands up to all these other great foursomes. But until then, IMO it's premature.

Titles don't mean anything. It takes all facets of the games to win a title, not just an elite secondary.

Davis & Sanders vs. Sherman & Browner/Thurmond/Maxwell is certainly an excellent debate... coin flip me for Sherman/Sanders.

Chancellor vs. McDonald? Give me big hittin Kam.

Earl Thomas might be one of the best FSs EVER.

Games where defense gave up over 20 points:
1994 9ers: 6 (regular season)
2013 Hawks: 5 (regular season)

1994 had nothing on 2013 in terms of points scored.

The 1994 9ers gave up an average of 23 points a game in the playoffs. That's not happening with Seattle.

I will hand "coolest celebration" to Merton Hanks over Richard Sherman. That little shovel dance Sherman does ain't got nothing on the chicken neck dance.

 

[gulliver]

If we're talking in absolute terms, then I think there's a good chance--though I'm also wary of "Is Breaking Bad the best show ever"-type polls, as it's typically voted on by folks who have seen fewer than 1% of all TV shows. Have any of us seen every secondary in detail every year for the last 50 years?

And while I think there was excellent football being played in the 70s and 80s, IMO there is no contest, old rules or new rules.

While great athletes, some of those guys had second jobs. The guys today are playing at 4 years old and getting coached up by professionals for the next 20 years at 1 position, and they're going up against guys who are freaks and have gone through the same intensive filtering process.

Pretty much the same across sports--who thinks Babe Ruth could call his shot in centerfield against a Joel Zumaya 105-mph fastball?

 

[irocdave]

Not getting suckered in to this debate but I will say that Browner, Sherm, Kam and Earl would fill a NFL highlight reel of huge hits if they played during the 70's / 80's / 90's. Ronnie Lot was a bad ass, Kam has the same mentality but bigger and faster. Browner hits like a frigging truck also, imagine him playing playing unrestrained.

 

[Weadoption]

Best year Deion ever had statistically was in 1991 with the Falcons. He had 6 INTs, 1 sack, 49 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and an unknown # of passes defensed (not tracked back then). His second best year was 1993 when he had 7 INTs, 0 sacks, 34 tackles, and 1 forced fumble.

In 2012, Sherman's only full season to date, he had 8 INTs, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 53 tackles, and 24 passes defensed. Sherman is a statistically better CB than Sanders in every possible way.


*Drops mic*

Sorry but give any GM in this league a choice between Deion and Sherm at corner and 32 out of 32 are going with Prime.
You might as well be comparing Russel Wilson to John Elway, the short sample size and modern passing era makes a stat comparison almost meaningless.

 

[HansGruber]

Best year Deion ever had statistically was in 1991 with the Falcons. He had 6 INTs, 1 sack, 49 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and an unknown # of passes defensed (not tracked back then). His second best year was 1993 when he had 7 INTs, 0 sacks, 34 tackles, and 1 forced fumble.

In 2012, Sherman's only full season to date, he had 8 INTs, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles, 53 tackles, and 24 passes defensed. Sherman is a statistically better CB than Sanders in every possible way.


*Drops mic*

Sorry but give any GM in this league a choice between Deion and Sherm at corner and 32 out of 32 are going with Prime.
You might as well be comparing Russel Wilson to John Elway, the short sample size and modern passing era makes a stat comparison almost meaningless.

You give 31 of 32 GMs in this league a chance to draft Russell Wilson and they ignore the guy because he's too short. 31 GMs passed on Richard Sherman, but today would trade away multiple drafts to have him on their team.

The ability of NFL GMs to objectively and accurately evaluate talent is probably the worst possible way to judge any player.

Now, did you have some actual knowledge to share? So far, the only thing you've proven is that you can't backup your argument in any meaningful way, but you personally have a stronger emotional attachment to Deion (understandable, since you're a 49er fan).

 

[253hawk]

LOL @ NFL GM's, impeccable judges of raw talent. Let me hear it directly from those 32 that they'd take Sanders over Sherman, not some sentimental fan reminiscing about the glory days when Deion was a Niner for one season that got them their first SB in what seemed like forever.

 

[Weadoption]

Ok kids.
Sherm is the greatest cover corner ever and any GM would trade away multiple drafts to have R. Wilson....maybe in a bizzaro alternate universe where up is down and boobies are universally disgusting.
Use the post preview more, please.

 

[253hawk]

In no way do I think Seattle's secondary is the 'best ever' (a universally stupid label to put on anything or anyone in any context in the first place) and I don't give damn who is or if there even is a best ever. All I care is if they can help win us a title, nothing more. If they can do that, they're pretty good in my book. The rest is irrelevant semantics for stat-junkies to jerk off over.

 

[SonicHawk]

Ok kids.
Sherm is the greatest cover corner ever and any GM would trade away multiple drafts to have R. Wilson....maybe in a bizzaro alternate universe where up is down and boobies are universally disgusting.
Use the post preview more, please.

Uh, yeah, they would. Having a franchise QB is THE most important thing.

Redskins traded an entire basketfull of first round picks for an unproven running QB to try and grab the QBOTF. You don't think a second year guy who has shown nothing but poise, consistency and expanding talent leading his team to 12-2 isn't of any interest to GMs?

You don't think Harbaugh would take Wilson over Kaepernick?

 

[Weadoption]

I think RW is probably the most valuable commodity in the nfl right now given his age and some of the intangible aspects to his game that you can't really teach.
That dude just knows where to be and what to do, naturally, plus he isn't a douche a-hole every time a reporter asks him a simple question.
Even then though, trade away an entire draft class for RW?
He is good but I just don't think any GM would take that type of gamble on 1 player.
Cept for Ditka.

 

[BASF]

The lack of mention for the mid to late-80's Browns secondary is a little strange and only one mention of the Chiefs of the same era. Both secondaries were great.

Top to bottom we have a very valid claim on the title.

 

[HawkinNY]

If this secondary played in the 70s or 80s they would FREAKING DESTROY THOSE TEAMS.

For the small amount of contact we're allowed compared to the 'golden era' this secondary is ridiculous.

Not to mention the players are bigger, faster & stronger nowadays. There is no doubt this is the BEST EVER.

Yea imagine if they were able to do what they used to be able to do back then. Plus teams didnt have 500 yard games passing every week like you do now.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

As much as it pains me, it's probably the Niners back four when they won the SB in 1994.

CB-Eric Davis
CB-Deion Sanders
FS-Merton Hanks
SS-Tim McDonald

IMO the one and only factor that makes you the "best ever" is titles. If the Hawks win the SB? THEN we can talk about where this defensive backfield stands up to all these other great foursomes. But until then, IMO it's premature.

Titles don't mean anything. It takes all facets of the games to win a title, not just an elite secondary.

Davis & Sanders vs. Sherman & Browner/Thurmond/Maxwell is certainly an excellent debate... coin flip me for Sherman/Sanders.

Chancellor vs. McDonald? Give me big hittin Kam.

Earl Thomas might be one of the best FSs EVER.

Games where defense gave up over 20 points:
1994 9ers: 6 (regular season)
2013 Hawks: 5 (regular season)

1994 had nothing on 2013 in terms of points scored.

The 1994 9ers gave up an average of 23 points a game in the playoffs. That's not happening with Seattle.

You can throw out all the stats you want, but I guarantee you if ESPN started a poll today or asked every coach and media member in the league who the best secondaries of all time were, this Hawks secondary wouldn't even be on the list.................yet.

 

[Scottemojo]

As much as it pains me, it's probably the Niners back four when they won the SB in 1994.

CB-Eric Davis
CB-Deion Sanders
FS-Merton Hanks
SS-Tim McDonald

IMO the one and only factor that makes you the "best ever" is titles. If the Hawks win the SB? THEN we can talk about where this defensive backfield stands up to all these other great foursomes. But until then, IMO it's premature.

Titles don't mean anything. It takes all facets of the games to win a title, not just an elite secondary.

Davis & Sanders vs. Sherman & Browner/Thurmond/Maxwell is certainly an excellent debate... coin flip me for Sherman/Sanders.

Chancellor vs. McDonald? Give me big hittin Kam.

Earl Thomas might be one of the best FSs EVER.

Games where defense gave up over 20 points:
1994 9ers: 6 (regular season)
2013 Hawks: 5 (regular season)

1994 had nothing on 2013 in terms of points scored.

The 1994 9ers gave up an average of 23 points a game in the playoffs. That's not happening with Seattle.

You can throw out all the stats you want, but I guarantee you if ESPN started a poll today or asked every coach and media member in the league who the best secondaries of all time were, this Hawks secondary wouldn't even be on the list.................yet.

Yet has just arrived.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/s...ense-thrives-in-a-tough-environment.html?_r=0

 

[drdiags]

Nice article Scottemojo. Puts a nice analysis to the debate with a consideration about the era these performances have occurred.